Man faces extradition over bomb threats
Adam Stuart Busby, understood to be a wheelchair user with multiple sclerosis, was charged by American federal prosecutors with 17 counts of wire fraud, 16 counts of maliciously conveying false information and two counts of international extortion.
It has been claimed the email bomb threats forced the evacuation of the university campus on more than 100 occasions.
Busby, aged 64, is already remanded in custody in Dublin on foot of a European arrest warrant issued by British authorities, understood to be linked to similar charges there.
Mr Busby is understood to be the leader of the Scottish National Liberation Army, which has been outlawed here and seeks independence for Scotland.
Why the University of Pittsburgh was targeted by the hoax email bomb threats is unclear, but the university’s chancellor, Mark Nordenberg, was reported as saying he was “very relieved” that charges had been brought by US prosecutors.
The university has received 143 bomb threats this year and Mr Nordenberg said the number of threats may have affected attendance numbers, as they occurred during the application period for prospective students.
In April, the university offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to the capture of whoever was responsible, after receiving 10 bomb threats in three weeks.
A week later a local newspaper in Pittsburgh received an email, allegedly sent by Busby, claiming a bomb had been placed at Mr Nordenberg’s house on Devonshire St, Pittsburgh, and that the bomb threats would cease if the chancellor withdrew the $50,000 bounty.
Yesterday Margaret Philbin from the US Attorney’s Office in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, said the FBI confirmed that Busby is in custody in Ireland on charges unrelated to those filed yesterday in federal court in the Western District of Pennsylvania.
Busby is currently being detained in Cloverhill Prison after Gardaí executed another extradition warrant — this time from British authorities — on July 18 in respect of other allegations linked to the sending of material to addresses in Scotland.
Mr Busby is due before the High Court in Dublin on Oct 2.
He has two convictions in this country for making hoax calls, both in 2010 from the Circuit Criminal Court. He was given a four-year sentence with the final two years suspended.
It has also emerged that two men in the US state of Ohio have also been charged with making related additional threats against the university.
The Pittsburgh Post- Gazette reported that Busby has past convictions in Scotland for bomb threats sent to media organisations.
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